Liquid-level control



March 1931- c w. STRATFORD ET AL ,795,

LIQUID LEVEL CONTROL Filed July 8, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 I'l /AW s 1 4:3 11,, s ag I INVENTEIRS v0 CHARLES WALCO'TT sTRATFoRn w WILLIAM$.dAME6 March V1931- cl w. STRATFORD ET AL LIQUID LEVEL CONTROL FiledJuly 8, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTUHS CHARLES WALCOTT STRATFORDWILLIAM 5. JAMES Mam]! 1931- c. w. STRATFORD ET AL 1,795,974

LIQUID LEVEL CONTROL Filed July 8, 1926 a Sheets-Sheet s INVENTURS 4CHARLES meow STRATFORD WILLIAM S.JAME6 Patented Mar. 10, 1931 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CHARLES WALCOTT STRATFORD AND WILLIAM S. JAMES, OF SANFRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA LIQUID- LEVEL CONTROL Application filed July 8,1926. Serial v11'0. 121,226.

The invention relates to liquid level conthe same conduit be used, theconnection with trol mechanisms and has as an object the the floatchamber must be'between the valve provision of a mechanism of thisnature hav- 14 and the container. As the level of the liqing all of theactive parts thereof'carried by uid in-the container rises, the samelevel will a head readily removable from the float be maintained in thefloat chamber 10, there- 55 chamber thereo r by causing a float 16 torise. The float 16 is A further object of the invention is the shown asconnected by means of a yoke 17 provision of a gauge glass for saidmechawith a stem 18rigidly secured at right angles nism having novelmeans for cutting the to a shaft 19 journalled in a sleeve'20.Stufliquid 01f therefrom in the event of breakfing glands 21 and 22are'provided to seal 60 age of the glass and for replacing the glass.the shaft 19 where it projects from the sleeve A further object is theprovision of a de- 20.. The sleeve 20 is shown as having screwvice ofthis character which will be particuthreaded engagement at 23 with anopening larly suitable for use in the refining of oil. in a head 24, agasket 25 being provided to Further objects of the invention will apsealthe screwthreaded opening. 65

pear from the following description when The head 24'is provided with aseat 26 coread in connection with the accompanying acting with the edgesof the float chamber 10, drawings, wherein 1 which edges are preferablyreduced in thick- 3 Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the ness tocause the pressure between the parts diaphragm valve controlled by thedevice in to be exercised upon a smaller area to assist '10 section; inmaking the joint liquid-tight. As shown,

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view upon a ring 27 is provided seated ina groove in the an enlarged scale on line 2-2 of Figure 3, wall ofchamber 10 coacting with a ring 28,

wtih the float operated lever omitted; which latter ring is clampedtothe head by Figure 3 is a horizontal section partly, in means of bolts29. A stop member 30 is de- 7 elevation on line 3-3 of Figure 1; sirablyprovided to limit theupward move- Figure 4 is a detail sectional view online ment of the float. 4-4 of Figure 1 upon-an enlarged scale; Mounteduponapillar 31 is avalve housing and w 32 shown in section in Figure 2.The shaft 30 Figure 5 is a detail sectional View on line 19 of the floatis provided with a crank 33 80 55 of Figure 3 showing the gauge glass inwhich, when the float falls, is arranged to section and other partscarried by the head press inwardly upon a pin 34 carried in an omitted.opening in the valve housing. 32 as shown As shown the device comprisesa float particularly in Figure 2. The pin 34 is pro- 35 chamber 10 shownas cylindrical in section vid ed with a head 35 slidable in an enlarged85 and provided with the dome shaped closure bore' 36 in the valvehousing. When the float at one side integral with the cylindrical";por..fallstherefore the pin 34 places. pressure t-ion referred to. To connectthe float -chain upon a stem 37 of asubstantially conical valve her witha receptacle in which a liquid 1 38; --;-To open the valve against thepressure is to be maintained there are shown'con'd *o'f'a spring 39seating in a, cavity in a plug 40, 9o 11, 12, opening into the floatchamber j g thefplug 40 is shown as having screwthreaded may beconnected with conduits into: he engagement with the valve chamber 41and a container, not shown, as for instance-b a gasket 42 is preferably.provided to insure a form of union shown at 13. To control" id": tightengagement of the ,plug with the, 45 level of the liquid in thecontainer refei valve housing. By removal of the plug 40, to a diaphragmcontrol valve 14 is indie ed theival've 38 and pin 34 maybe freelyremoved in Figure 1 located in the conduit 15, w en from the housing, vI may be the same conduit as 12 communicating To control the levelfofqthei liquid in the with the float chamber or which'may be-a'container, not shown, thevalve43 is provided other conduit leading fromthe containeixi-;v adapted to be pressedftoitsjseat by pressure 7 3'3:

placed upon a diaphragm 44 through the medium of a stem 45. A head 46 isshown upon the stem 45 to contact with the diaphragm 44. To press thevalve to its open position, a spring 47 is shown seating in a cavity 48in the diaphragm housing. The diaphragm may be clamped to the housing bymeans of bolts 49. The diaphragm housing is desirably supported from thehousing of the valve 14 as by means of posts 50. To place pressure uponthe diaphragm 44, a chamber 51 is shown having communication with aconduit 52 leading to the valve housing 32. The valve housing 32 isshown as provided with a second conduit 53 leading to a source of fluid,as air, under pressure.

To enable the .pressure to escape from the conduit 52 when the valve 38is closed, an adjustable bleed in the nature of a cone 54 is shown inFigure 2 and an escapeis provided for the fluid to the atmosphere in theform of a channel 55. A look nut 56 is provided upon the screwthreadedadjustment for the cone 54 to lock the same in adjusted position.

With the device arranged as described, the float in itslowered positionor in other words a low level of liquid in the container, not shown,will cause pressure upon pin 34 to open the valve 38 and allow fluidunder pressure to flow from the source, not shown, through conduit 53past the valve 38 through conduit 52 to the diaphragm chamber 51 therebypressing the diaphragm 44 to close the valve 43. This will allow liquidto gather in the container, it being assumed that the device is to beused with a container into which liquid flows with greater or lessrapidity and in which a liquid level is to be maintained. Closure of thevalve 43 will allow liquid to gather in the container, not shown, untilthe level is sufiiciently high to raise the float 16 when the valve 38will close and the pressure within the diaphragm chamber 51 will bleedaway past the cone 54. This will allow the spring 47 to open thediaphragm control valve and allow the escape of liquid from thecontainer with a consequent lowering of the float.

A diflerential pressure gauge is shown at 57 having communicationthrough conduits 58, 59, with conduits 52, 53, whereby to indicate thepressure in the respective conduits. The height of the liquid in thecontainer may be adjusted within limits by the adjustment of the stem 60upon the lever 33, a lock nut 61 being shown to set the adjustmentdesired. To enable the liquid level in the float chamber 10 to bedetermined, a gauge glass. 62 is shown mounted between connections 63,64. These connections are shown as mounted in openings in head 24, nuts65, 66, being shown upon their screwthreaded extremities.

The communication of the gauge glass with the interior of theconnections 63, 64, is shown as controlled by screwthreaded valve stemsprovided with transverse channels 7 0 below the valve head 71, in eachinstance, whereby when the parts are in the position shown in .Figure 5,there will be a free connection between the interior of the floatchamber and the interior of the gauge glass 62. In the event of a suddenbreakage of the gauge glass, the bores in the valve stems 69 may beclosed in a well known manner by means of balls 70, cotter pins 67, 68,being provided through the ends of the connections 63, 64, to prevent,escape of the balls from the chamber.

To provide for the screwing in of the valve stems 69 so as to cause theheads 71 to seat whereby to cut ofl the gauge glass, the heads 71 areshown as provided with a ridge 72 adapted to coact with a slot 73 in ahead carried by stem 74 freely slidable in a plug 75 and adapted to bemanipulated by handwheel 7 6.

To permit of a ready renewal or cleaning of the gauge glass 62, plugs 7778 are shown having screwthreaded' engagement with the fittings 63, 64,the openings receiving the plugs being in alignment with the gauge glassand the inner diameter of the openings being in excess of the outerdiamter of the gauge glass. By reason of the form of control of thevalve 71 by means ofstem 74 which may be pressed into engagement withthe heads to screw the same *home and then freely pulled therefrom intothe position shown in Figure 5, the valves may be closed and the stem 74removed from the path of removal of the. gauge glass. The gauge glass isshown as clamped in the operative position by means of a stufling gland7 9 and a sleeve 80 at each end of the glass whereby the glass may beclamped in its operative position and sealed against the escape ofliquid. A guard 81 is desirably provided about the gauge glass. Topermit the drain ing of the glass 62 there is shown a plug 82 within thelower plug 78 controlled by a polygonal head 83. By screwing out thisplug, liquid may be allowed to escape from glass 62 when desired. 2

In operation when the gauge glass 62 breaks under service conditions,the balls immediately seat against the ends of the screw valves 69shuttingofl the passage of now slid away from engagement with the valves69 in which position a complete clearance is provided for the removal ofgauge glass 62 upon removal of the lugs 7 7 and 78. A new gauge glass isreadi y applied with safety after which the respective parts areassembled and the valves 69 opened for the passage of liquid from thefloat chamber 10.

By the structure provided by our invention, the float itself, the valvehousing 32, and its connections, the pressure gauge 57, and the gaugeglass structure are all mounted upon the head 24 which may be removedfrom the float chamber and as an entirety. Therefore it would bepossible to have a duplicate head and mechanism to replace a defectivemechanism and thereby the mechanism could be repaired withdut extendedshutting down of operations to be carried on in the container, notshown, with which the mechanism may be utilized.

Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiment of the inventionwithout departing from its spirit.

1. A liquid level controlling mechanism comprising in combination, afloat chamber having an opening, a head for closure of said opening, afloat operable in said chamber, a stem upon which said float is mounted,said stem mounted in said head for, oscillation, a valve housing carriedby said head, a valve in said housing controlled by said stem, meansattached to said housing chamber for connection with a source of fluidunder pressure, means connected with said housing comprising a dualpressure gauge mounted upon said head to 'indicate the pressure in saidconnections respectively.

2. A liquid level controlli'n mechanism comprising, in combination, acat chamber having an opening, a head for closure of said opening, afloat carried by said head, means mounted upon said head controlled bysaid float to control the level of liquid within the float chamber, agauge glass with mountings on said head to indicate the liquid levelwithin the float chamber, screw seating valvesin the passages of thegauge glass mountings normally open for the communication of liquid fromsaid float chamber to said gauge glass, valve seats for said valvesproviding a clearance for the removal of said gauge glass when saidvalves are seated, fluid actuated valves seating against the ends ofsaid screw seating valves to close the passage of liquid therethrough,slidable and rotatable stems housed in said gauge glass mountings, meanson the ends of said stems for engaging the opening, a float carried bysaid head, means mounted upon said head controlled by said float tocontrol the level of liquid within the float chamber, a gauge glass withmountings on said head to indicate the liquid level within the floatchamber, screw seating valves in the passages of the gauge glassmountings normally open for the communication of liquid from said floatchamber to said gauge glass, valve seats for said valves providing aclearance for the removal of said gauge glass when said valves areseated, fluid actuated valves seating against the ends of said screwseating valves to close the passage of liquid therethrough, slidable androtatable stems housed in said gauge glass mountings, means on the endsof said stems for engaging the ends of said screw valves whereby saidvalves are screwed on their seats, said stems being slidablydisengagable from said valves when said valves are screwed upon theirseats and providing a clearance for the removal of said gauge glass andpermitting a free passage through said gauge glass from end to endthereof.

CHARLES WALCOTT STRATFORD. WILLIAM S. JAMES.

ends of said screw valves whereby said valves are screwed on theirseats, said stems being slidably disengageable from said} valves whensaid valves are screwed upon their seats and providing a clearance forthe removal of said gauge glass.

3. A liquid level controlling mechanism comprising, in combination, afloat chamber having an opening, a head for closure of said

